Brothers, love is a teacher, but a hard one to obtain: learning to love is hard and we pay dearly for it. It takes hard work and a long apprenticeship, for it is not just for a moment that we must learn to love, but forever.
(Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov)

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Recordare

Ultra-light blogging, I know. I'm up against some intractable deadlines in my real-life projects.In the meantime, there is this, from Mozart's Requiem. I think if Mozart had written only this one number and nothing else, nothing at all, he would still count among history's greatest musicians. I love the way that the piece's anxiety resolves into confidence in Christ's mercy.The conductor is John Eliot Gardiner, the orchestra is the English Baroque Soloists, and the solo quartet is the exceptionally fine foursome of American soprano Barbara Bonney, Swedish mezzo Anne Sofie Von Otter, and the English tenor and bass Anthony Rolfe Johnson and Alastair Miles. The tempo is on the fast side, because the orchestra is playing period and period-replica instruments, whose sounds have a rapider decay than their modern counterparts.The translation:Remember, kind Jesus,my salvation caused your suffering;do not forsake me on that day.

Faint and weary you have sought me,redeemed me, suffering on the cross;may such great effort not be in vain.

Righteous judge of vengeance,grant me the gift of absolutionbefore the day of retribution.

I moan as one who is guilty:owning my shame with a red face;suppliant before you, Lord.